BROOKFIELD, Wis., Feb. 22, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Connecture, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXR), a leading web-based consumer shopping, enrollment and retention platform for health insurance distribution, and Strategic Health Services (SHS), a Georgia-based health and wellness solution provider, announced today an agreement to offer a new wellness platform as part of Connecture’s growing Engagement Portfolio of tools for health plan, providers, and broker partners. The platform, which includes assessments, interactive programs, and data-driven health coaching options, enables Connecture clients to go beyond traditional, one-size-fits all wellness, in favor of a branded program with configurable capabilities to meet the unique needs of an organization’s workforce.

“Connecture’s deep experience with health plan shopping and enrollment technology has enabled us to anticipate the strategic needs of the health insurance market and provide critical engagement solutions and services,” said Jeff Surges, President & CEO of Connecture. “Now, with SHS as our partner, we have an incredible opportunity to continue to help our clients engage their members and employees well beyond the point of benefits enrollment.”

“We are excited to join Connecture’s portfolio of engagement solutions,” said Kara Tarantino, Vice President of Marketing & Strategy for SHS. “One of our guiding principles at SHS is to drive people to take action toward better health and well-being through technology. And in Connecture, we’ve found a like-minded partner that views wellness as a critical part of a company’s benefits program.”

Critical Value-Adds to Employee Benefit BrokersAccording to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 70 percent of large businesses offer wellness programs. Key to Connecture and SHS’s new alliance, according to Surges, is to offer broker partners, particularly those that serve small- to mid-sized employers, a cost-effective and uniquely tailored wellness program for their clients.

“Many of our broker partners want to provide employers a total workforce solution,” said Surges. “Having benefits shopping and enrollment tools, along with a wellness platform that drives employee engagement, can lead to a healthier and more productive workforce.” Helping Provider-Sponsored Health Plans Create a Holistic Approach to CareThis strategic affiliation will also offer hospitals and health systems who administer their own health plans, often referred to as ‘provider-sponsored health plans’, an integrated decision-support and wellness solution – one that enables member-patients to make informed choices that both manage the cost of care and meet the needs of their health and financial status.

The unique provider-sponsored health plan model helps these entities demonstrate an ongoing commitment to keeping members healthier and engaged in their well-being year-round. Moreover, offering a portal where members can obtain information about their health and select appropriate coverage for themselves and family members, further extends the bond between member and the provider-sponsored health plan.

“Provider-sponsored health plans must be highly focused on the member experience,” said Surges. “Decision-support tools that explain what their plan choices are, what they will mean, and how members and their families may be affected, both clinically and financially, are essential to success. When integrated with wellness tools that help remind members to get preventive screenings or meet annual physical deadlines, this comprehensive solution enhances customer loyalty as it helps to reduce risk and ultimately cost.”

Connecture’s consumer-centered Engagement Portfolio of tools includes the award-winning DrugCompare platform, as well as health plan comparison and data analytics tools for insurance carriers and brokers for Medicare and commercial individual, small group and large group plans.

About ConnectureConnecture (NASDAQ:CNXR) is a leading web-based consumer shopping, enrollment and retention platform for health insurance distribution. Connecture offers a personalized health insurance shopping experience that recommends the best fit insurance plan based on an individual’s preferences, health status, preferred providers, medications and expected out-of-pocket costs. Connecture’s customers are health insurance marketplace operators, such as health plans, brokers and exchange operators, who must distribute health insurance in a cost-effective manner to a growing number of insured consumers. Connecture’s solutions automate key functions in the health insurance distribution process, allowing its customers to price and present plan options accurately to consumers and efficiently enroll, renew and manage plan members.

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